فِيكَ خَطْبُ الْعُلَى فَدَحْ
إِذْ تَوَلَّيْتَ يَا فَرَحْ
In you is the lofty discourse appealed
When you turned away, O joy.
عَثْرَةٌ دُونَ رَوْعِهَا
عَثْرَةُ النَّسرِ إِذْ جَنَحْ
A stumble before its pasture
Is the eagle's stumble when it flew.
إنَّ فَأْلاً بِهِ دَعَوْ
كَ تَنَاهِى إِلى تَرَحْ
For in it is a portent called
As perishing to consolation.
بُحَّ صَوْتٌ لأُمَّةٍ
أَسِفَ الْفَضْلُ أَنْ يُبَحُّ
The voice of a nation roared
Nobleness was saddened to roar.
يَا لَهُ كَوْكَباً خَبَا
يَا لَهُ مُتْعَباً رَزَحْ
Oh what a fading star it was!
Oh what a burdened soul it bore!
مَاتَ نَدْبٌ بِمِثْلِهِ
قَلَّمَا عَصْرُهُ سَمَحْ
None can mourn the like of him
Rarely did his time allow.
كَانَ بِالْحَزْمِ ضَابِطاً
نَازِعَ النَّفسِ إِنْ جَمَحْ
He was composed with wisdom
Wrestled the soul if it raged.
يُدْرِكُ المَطْلَبَ الأَشَـ
ـقَّ وَفِي عَزْمِهِ مَرَحْ
He attains the most sincere desire
And in his resolve is ease.
لَيْسَ تَثْنِيهِ عِلَّةٌ
فَرْطَ مَا الرُّوحُ فِيهِ صحَّ
His duplication is no defect
However much the soul in him verified.
مَنْ يَعِشْ عَْش مَا جِدٍ
نَهْدُهُ بَعْدَهُ وَضَحْ
Whoever lives the life of seriousness
Its guide after him shone.
إِمْضِ فِي الْجِدِّ وَانْتَهِزْ
فُرَصَ المَجدْدِ مَا تُتَحْ
Go on in seriousness and seize
The opportunities of renewal that unfold.
أَيُّ مَعْنىً لِعِيشَةٍ
فِي اغْتِبَاقٍ وَمُصْطَبَحْ
What meaning is there to a life
Of indulgence and self-seeking!
يُعَمرُ الْعُمْرُ بِالعُلَى
ذَلِكَ المَذْهَبُ الأَصَحُّ
Life is built with the sublime
That is the most proper way.
أَسَفاً أَنْ يَبِينَ مَنْ
دُونَ أَوصَافِهِ المِدَحْ
Alas, he who makes clear
Other than his traits of praise.
كَانَ أَنْطُونُ كَاتِباً
بِالهُدَى صَدْرُهُ انْشَرَحْ
Anton was a scribe
With guidance, his chest expanded.
زينَ خُلْقاً وَخِلْقَةً
بِالغَوَالِي مِنَ المِنَحْ
Adorned with manners and character
With the most noble of gifts.
وَعَلَى ذِهْنِهِ الْخُلُو
صُ بِمَا شَاءَهُ فَتَحْ
And his exclusive mind
Opened to what it desired.
وَلَهُ مِنْ بِدَائِعِ الْفِكْـ
ـرِ مَا قَلمَا سَنَحْ
And he had of the wonders of thought
What rarely presented itself.
يَجِدُ الطَّرْفُ بَيْنَهَا
طُرَفاً كُلَّمَا سَرَحْ
The eye finds between them
An eye each time it wandered.
عَشِقَ الْحَقَّن وَالَّذِي
يَعْشِقُ الْحَقَّ مُفْتَضَحْ
He loved the truthful, and whoever
Loves the truth is exposed.
بَيْنَ جِيلٍ عَدُوِّ مَنْ
قَالَ صِدْقَاً وَمَنْ نَصَح
Between a generation enemy to whoever
Spoke truthfully and advised.
أَلْمَحَبَّاتُ وَالْكَرَامَا
تُ فِيهِمْ لِمَنْ نَجَحْ
The beloved and the generous among them
Only for whoever succeeded.
رَسَبَ الطَّبعُ بَيْنَهُمْ
وَعَلا كُلَّ مُصْطَلَحْ
Nature corrupted between them
And every terminology elevated.
فَتَوَطَّن الأَوْجِ يَا
مَنْ شَدَا الأَرْضَ إِذْ نَزَحْ
So anguish settled, O you
Who traversed the earth when it shook.
وَتَبَدَّلْ مِنْ بُؤْسِ أَيَّا
مِكَ الخُلْدَ فِي فَرَحْ
And your eternal abode changed
From the misery of your days to joy.
